In an effort to boost young adults’ interest in science, the University of Nebraska Medical Center is teaming with the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures and Bio Nebraska to host its first “Science Café” in Lincoln on May 14. The event, which is open to anyone over age 18, will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at red9, 322 S. 9th St.
A UNMC neurologist, Sanjay Singh, M.D., will discuss how the brain works. An epilepsy expert, Dr. Singh is an associate professor in the department of neurological sciences and director of the Nebraska Epilepsy Center.
There have been four Science Café events held in Omaha over the past four months, said Kacie Gerard, special events associate at UNMC.
“Dr. Singh’s presentation in Omaha drew 200 people,” Gerard said. “All the events have drawn a nice crowd, but Dr. Singh’s turnout was definitely the largest.
“He is an excellent presenter, and the crowd was really enthralled from beginning to end. It was powerful watching it unfold and see how engaged the crowd was. I’m sure the Lincoln audience is in for a special treat.”
The cafés are informal science discussions at local coffeehouses and bars. Food and beverages will be sold at the Lincoln event.
“This format leads to face-to-face discussions in a more informal, fun environment,” said Bob Bartee, vice chancellor for external affairs at UNMC. “We’re especially hopeful that the Science Cafés will appeal to young adults and help re-introduce them to science.”
Gerard said the May 14 Science Café in Lincoln will serve as a pilot. “If the response is positive, we will likely plan to hold more of these events in Lincoln,” she said.
The Science Cafés are part of an effort by UNMC and other groups to increase the population’s science literacy. A more scientifically literate populace is a goal in UNMC’s strategic plan, and a 17-member team comprising UNMC faculty and staff, as well as Omaha area community leaders, is addressing the issue.
“A public armed with facts and understanding of science is better able to appreciate and apply scientific advances and to vote knowledgeably on ballot issues and initiatives related to science,” said UNMC’s James Turpen, Ph.D., the leader of the science literacy team. “As the state’s academic health sciences center, it’s natural for us to be among the leading proponents for science literacy in Nebraska.”
The team has identified three areas of focus:
- Providing assistance and resources to the state’s elementary and secondary school science teachers;
- Establishing public education programs to increase interest in science among young adults; and
- Creating a mobile science laboratory that serves as an educational resource for students around the state.
For more information on the Science Cafés, visit www.unmc.edu/sciencecafe.
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through their commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology and ophthalmology. UNMC’s research funding from external sources now exceeds $82 million annually and has resulted in the creation of more than 2,600 highly skilled jobs in the state. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 513 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.